This morning, I got up close and personal with my buds. No, not cannabis flowers and not my good friends, rather those swelling protuberances on all of my birch trees. Whatever cover may have been on them is gone and the serration from the individual leaves can be seen. One or two more rains and I have a feeling we will be at the ever-important squirrel's ear size.
There is no denying we are entering an early spring. I have three different weather phone apps, and each one has a 10-day forecast that does not include freezing temperatures. Wow.
Given that things are warming up so nicely with little threat of a cold snap, I am calling for the removal of mulch from your garden beds. The purpose of the mulch in the winter is to keep the soil frozen so that your plants won't have to endure freeze and thaw cycles. Leaving it on, now that things are warming up for the season, only slows things down for your plants.
Very gently rake your beds. Under that mulch are all manner of perennials coming up and you don't want to damage them. (This is one reason why you should have marked the location of your plants better last fall.) You also have to be careful not to break or remove plant labels. This is one reason I always push mine totally into the soil on the south side of all my plants. I know where they are and they don't get broken.
Do keep all the mulch you remove. Once things are up and the soil is warmer, you will need to put the mulch back. One of my rules emulates nature: no bare soils. These mulches feed the soil food web that is feeding your plants, and they keep moisture levels in range without daily watering or despite a month of rain.
Speaking of mulch, since lawns are now clear of snow and most are dry enough to work on, you will find some of your neighbors foolishly bagging leaves left over from the winter and putting them on the curb for pickup. You want the leaves from the neighbors without a dog. They are great for mulching perennial beds and making compost. There won't be any available for these uses after May unless you collect them ahead of time. Get as many of these bags of gold as you can. Mulching beds is the best way to feed them and mulched beds generally do not need weeding.
I am also going to show some guts and plant out the sweat peas we have started. Of course, it will take a week to harden them off by gradually increasing the amount of time they are in full sun. And, as far as I am concerned, it is time to put regular peas directly into the soil. They should do fine because peas germinate at cool temperatures. And, if they don't germinate in two weeks or so, we have plenty of time to try again. Actually, it makes sense to germinate the seeds on paper towels, instead of planting them in pots, then put them in the ground.
My quandary this summer is the lawn. I know I want to reduce the size of ours, but I also know it is going to need mowing. Now is the time to make sure that the mower and all your other gardening tools are in working order. Mower blades should be sharpened or replaced. If you have a power machine, make sure it is in top working order. Lawn mowers pollute three or four times more than cars and trucks.
It won't be long before dandelions appear. If you are so inclined, you can put down corn gluten over the next several years and try to reduce their numbers. This only works to prevent seeds from germinating and so that means you want to put the stuff down (it isn't cheap) before flowers appear and go to seed. In other words, now.
And, finally, I am going to suggest you take down those bird feeders. The warm weather will mean wandering bears and after a winter of hibernation, they are hungry for the fat in those suet feeders and in black sunflower seeds. Put all seed away securely.
Jeffs Alaska Garden Calendar
Annual apple grafting workshop: Alaska Pioneer Fruit Growers Association is offering classes at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at Dimond Greenhouse, Dimond Boulevard. All materials supplied for a small fee. Classes may be limited in size. Reserve space at the nursery or email Dan at dmelliott@mtaonline.net.
The Mall at Sears Spring Garden Show: All day Saturday, April 9. Always a lot of great information at this manned display with many Alaska gardening groups such as the Alaska Botanical Garden and the Cooperative Extension.
Basic landscape design: Alaska Botanical Garden will hold a series of workshops to help you design your garden for maximum aesthetic appeal and practical use. Classes are at 6 p.m. Wednesdays, April 13-27, and preregistration is required. Call 907-770-3692 or visit alaskabg.org. Cost is $80 for members, $90 for nonmembers. Register online at eventbrite.com/o/alaska-botanical-garden-832401305.
Alaska Master Gardener's Annual Statewide Conference: Saturday, April 16, Lucy Center. May be sold out. Try and get on the waiting list if it is. More information at alaskamastergardeners.org.
Scoop the Poop Day: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 16. The Scoop the Poop Committee will have one table set up at Connors Bog and two at University Lake. Shovels, trowels, gloves, bags, buckets, hand cleaners and thank you gifts supplied. Email Anchorage Waterways Council at awc@anchoragecreeks.org or call 907-272-7335 if you have any questions.
Veggie seeds to start: Tomatoes (yes, they are a fruit, not a vegetable), head lettuce, cabbage, kale peppers, broccoli and cauliflower
Herbs to start: Sorrel, summer savory
Flowers to start: Achimenes, brachyscome, dianthus, stock, larkspur, asters, Nicotiana, cleome, annual ice plant, zinnia, Salpiglossis
?Jeff Lowenfels has been writing this column for 40 years and never missed a week. He is the author of the best-selling, award-winning books "Teaming with Microbes" and "Teaming With Nutrients."